Motor pump assembly

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a motor pump assembly having a motor housing, a pump housing, and an electronic component housing located one behind the other. The pump housing has a hole through which at least two mutually electrically insulated electric leads surrounded by an insulating sleeve are ducted from the motor housing to the electronic component housing. The electric leads, which are preferably embodied as flat connector lugs, are provided inside the insulating sleeve with an offset.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application claims priority to European patent application 04006710.0, filed Mar. 19, 2004, which is herein incorporated by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a motor pump assembly having a motor housing, a pump housing, and an electronic component housing located one behind the other in an axial sandwich arrangement. A motor pump assembly of said type can be employed in particular in anti-skid vehicle braking devices.

An electromotor pump assembly in which the electromotor housing is contacted with the pump housing is known already from EP 0 698 183 B1. In said known assembly a bearing plate which forms a seal and to which brushes are secured is provided on the contact points between the electromotor housing and the pump housing. The pump housing is provided with a through-hole which accommodates an electric connecting component embodied as a loom of cables. Said loom of cables ducted through the pump housing is contacted by means of a plug-in connection on the side of the pump housing remote from the motor housing with an electronic control and regulating means acting as a power supply. According to a further embodiment the cables of the power supply are emplaced in a pressed screen extrusion-coated with plastic. The plastic is injection-molded onto the housing of the electronic regulating unit so that the housing of the electronic regulating unit and the cable duct form one integral part. Provided on the end of the cable duct facing the motor is a plug-in connector plugged into a mating connector of the end shield. The cable duct can alternatively also be implemented as a single part having plug-in connectors at both ends. One of said plug-in connectors contacts the mating connector on the electromotor while the other plug-in connector contacts a mating connector of the electronic regulating unit. According to a further alternative embodiment the cable duct can be produced from two parts each of which has a wire. The two parts are embodied mutually symmetrically and can be plugged together to form a cable duct. The individual elements are for this purpose provided with mutually engaging lugs or, as the case may be, recesses.

An electrohydraulic unit for regulating braking fluid pressure is known from WO 96/28 327 A1. Said known unit has a hydraulic block on one of whose sides an electromotor is mounted. The electric connections of the electromotor extend through the hydraulic block up to its opposite side, where they are connected to electric leads of a built-on controller or manifold plug. The cited electric leads are helically wound around guiding pins. Said pins project during mounting into blind bores in the hydraulic block in order to position the built-on controller or manifold plug on the hydraulic block, so that free ends of the electric leads are placed in fork-shaped ends of the connecting pins before the built-on controller or manifold plug covers the connections.

A motor pump assembly having a motor housing, a pump housing, and an electronic component housing located one behind the other in an axial sandwich arrangement is known from WO 02/057 121 A1. At least two mutually electrically insulated plug-type supply leads or, as the case may be, control leads are ducted from the motor housing through the pump housing to the electronic component housing. The plug-type supply leads or, as the case may be, control leads are permanently secured on the motor housing side in a receptacle, in particular a brush plate, and otherwise move freely diagonally to their longitudinal extent at least in terms of tolerance compensating. The plug-type supply leads or, as the case may be, control leads are parts, in particular single-piece, bent parts, formed by a combined cutting and bending process, of a pressed screen accommodated by the receptacle, in particular the brush plate. The plug-type supply leads or, as the case may be, control leads are embedded in an elastic insulating sleeve and contacted at their free ends facing away from the motor housing with an electronic unit in the electronic component housing, in particular a printed circuit board.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The object of the invention is to disclose a way of minimizing the space requirements for through-ducting the leads in a motor pump assembly in which electric leads are ducted through the pump housing.

Said object is achieved by means of a motor pump assembly exhibiting the features indicated in claim 1. Advantageous embodiments and developments of the invention will emerge from the dependent claims 2 to 10. Claims 11 to 14 relate to an electric connecting device that can be employed in connection with the invention.

The particular advantages of the invention are that, through an offset in the electric leads inside the insulating sleeve, the electric leads can in the area of the pump housing be spaced less far apart than the electric leads need to be for contacting with the motor and/or the electronic components. The spacing necessary between the electric leads for contacting with the motor and/or the electronic components can be produced by means of the cited offset in the electric leads, which are preferably embodied as flat connector lugs.

Use is advantageously made herein of the different requirements prevailing inside and outside the pump housing. Inside the pump housing it is necessary to ensure that a specified minimum safety clearance is constantly maintained between the electric leads and the edges of the pump through-hole in order to avoid voltage punctures. This is ensured by selecting an adequate thickness for the insulating sleeve. It is not necessary to maintain a safety clearance of said type outside the pump housing. The absence of this requirement is exploited according to the present invention to provide an offset in the electric leads outside the pump housing of such a type that the spacing between the electric leads inside the insulating sleeve is increased. The fact that in this area the spacing between the electric leads and the outer edge of the insulating sleeve is herein less than the above-cited safety clearance is inconsequential as the offset in the electric leads is provided outside the area of the pump housing.

A major advantage of the invention is that the offset in the electric leads can be provided as a function of respectively prevailing individual customer requirements. The manufacturers of motors as well as the manufacturers of the electronic components in particular employ variously dimensioned mating connectors on the motor or, as the case may be, electronic components, in particular mating connectors in which the spacing of the electric leads requiring to be contacted varies in extent. These differing requirements can be met by means of an offset in the leads that is respectively adapted. Said offset can be advantageously provided on one side in the direction of the motor, on one side in the direction of the electronic components, or on both sides. It is important for the outside diameter of the insulating sleeve that must be ducted completely through the pump housing when the motor, pump, and electronic components are assembled to be in accordance on both sides of the offset or, as the case may be, offsets so that ducting of the insulating sleeve through the hole in the pump housing is in no way impeded.

According to an advantageous development of the invention the electric leads of the insulating sleeve can each be provided with a step so that the width of the electric leads is different at the two axial ends of the insulating sleeve. Requirements due to different types of mating connector can be met by means of this measure also.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention the electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, are implemented together with the motor housing as a single-piece component. When the entire assembly is being assembled, the electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, can in this case be inserted through a hole in the pump housing and contacted with the electronic components on the other side of the pump housing using, for example, a mating connector.

In another advantageous embodiment of the invention the electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, are implemented together with the electronic component housing as a single-piece component. When the entire assembly is being assembled, the electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, can in this case be inserted through a hole in the pump housing and contacted with the motor housing on the other side of the pump housing using, for example, a mating connector.

In a further alternative embodiment of the invention the electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, are implemented as a single-piece component. When the entire assembly is being assembled, said component can be inserted through a hole in the pump housing, no matter from which side, then connected on both sides to the motor housing or, as the case may be, electronic component housing using in each case a mating connector.

By means of a respectively suitable offset in the electric leads, the spacing between the leads, which are preferably embodied as flat connector lugs, can be accommodated to the respectively present mating connector. The outside diameter of the insulating sleeve will always remain the same despite the offset provided, so that ducting through the hole in the pump housing of the insulating sleeve containing the electric leads will not be adversely affected and the hole in the pump housing can be kept small.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Further advantageous characteristics of the invention will emerge from the exemplary explanation thereof presented with the aid of the drawings.

FIG. 1 is an axial part sectional view of a fully assembled motor pump assembly,

FIG. 2 shows the motor housing as a preassembly unit having a supply lead connection or, as the case may be, control lead connection to the electronic component housing,

FIG. 3 is a sketch illustrating a first embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 4 is a sketch illustrating a development of the invention,

FIG. 5 is a sketch illustrating a second embodiment of the invention,

FIG. 6 is a sketch illustrating a third embodiment of the invention, and

FIG. 7 is a sketch illustrating a fourth embodiment of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a motor pump assembly having a motor housing, a pump housing, and an electronic component housing located one behind the other in an axial sandwich arrangement. A motor pump assembly of said type can be employed in particular in anti-skid vehicle braking devices. In the motor pump assembly according to the invention the electric leads, which connect the brush system located inside the motor housing to the control and regulating unit located inside the electronic component housing, are ducted through a hole in the pump housing.

FIG. 1 is an axial part sectional view of a complete motor pump assembly that can be employed for, for example, an anti-skid vehicle braking device. A pump housing 2 of a high-pressure pump for a hydraulic brake fluid is flange-mounted by one of its end faces in a sealed manner to a pot-shaped motor housing 1 of a commutator electromotor. An electronic component housing 3 is attached to the other end face of the pump housing 2. Said electronic component housing contains a connection unit implemented in the form of, for example, a printed circuit board, in particular a supply unit or, as the case may be, control unit for the commutator electromotor.

The motor housing 1 is closed in the area of the pot edge side by a brush plate 6 from which the commutator electromotor's rotor shaft 7 supported by a bearing 8 protrudes with one shaft end. This bears an eccentric 9 by which pump plungers of the high-pressure pump are driven.

Lug-shaped supply leads or, as the case may be, control leads 4.1 and 4.2, which, as can also be seen from FIG. 2, run inside the pump housing 2 substantially perpendicularly to the plane of the brush plate 6, serve to make the electric connection between the electronic component housing 3 and the electric components, in particular the brushes, accommodated by the brush plate 6.

As can be seen in FIG. 2, the lug-type electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 surrounded by an insulating sleeve 5 are secured in position in the brush plate by their ends that are on the motor housing side in the sense of a preassembly structural unit, for example in the form of being a single piece with a pressed screen injection-molded into the brush plate. Said screen serves to connect the components accommodated by the brush plate and also the lug-type electric connections 4.1 and 4.2 initially co-pressed in the plane of the pressed screen which are bent and ducted perpendicularly out of said plane.

The insulating sleeve 5 serves to electrically insulate the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2. It is embodied elastically, emplaced axially over the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2, and secured in position by means of a catch. The elasticity of the insulating sleeve 5 ensures that the lead ends facing away from the motor housing can move evasively in a tolerance compensating manner diagonally to the direction of their axial extent when the motor housing 1, the pump housing 2, and the electronic component housing 3 are being assembled, despite any mutual displacement that may occur in the housing parts being assembled. Problem-free ducting through the hole in the pump housing and through the end face of the electronic component housing is ensured thereby.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 2, distortion-free plug-in connecting of the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 between the brush plate in the motor housing right through the pump housing to the electronic component housing is possible employing a simple production and assembly technique despite the axial sandwich-type assembly of the motor housing, pump housing, and electronic component housing. The cited electric leads are here secured in position in the brush plate in the manner of a fixed connector by their ends on the side of the motor housing in the form of a preassembly component unit, in particular of a bent single-piece part of a pressed screen injection-molded in said brush plate. At their free connector ends surrounded by an elastic insulating sleeve they can furthermore move in a tolerance compensating manner diagonally to their axial entry extent.

The spacing between the electric leads inside of the insulating sleeve 5 and the spacing between each of said leads and the edge of the hole through the pump housing must be kept as small as possible so that the diameter of the hole through the pump housing can be kept as small as possible. The only factor that needs to be taken into account when said spacing is being dimensioned is that no voltage punctures must occur. This is ensured by selecting an appropriate thickness for the material of the insulating sleeve 5.

The electric leads according to the present invention have an offset in order to make a plug-in contact possible with a mating connector on the motor housing and/or the electronic component housing despite the narrow ducting of the electric leads in the area of the pump housing. Said offset is advantageously provided outside the area of the pump housing but still inside the area of the insulating sleeve. This is explained in more detail below with the aid of several embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a sketch illustrating a first embodiment of the invention. According to said embodiment an electric connecting device having the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 embodied in the form of flat connector lugs is ducted through a hole in the pump housing 2. Said electric leads run inside the insulating sleeve 5. The end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the motor housing is aligned with the end face of the pump housing 2 on the side of the motor housing. The end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the electronic components projects beyond the end face of the pump housing 2 on the side of the electronic components. Inside the area of the pump housing 2 the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 have a mutual spacing a2. The cited leads at the end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the motor housing are ducted out of said sleeve having said mutual spacing and can be inserted into a mating connector on the motor housing whose mating connector contacts likewise have the mutual spacing a2. Inside the area of the pump housing the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 have a constant minimum spacing d1 from the edge of the hole of the pump housing. Said minimum spacing is necessary to prevent the occurrence of voltage punctures during operation. Outside the area of the pump housing, but still inside the area of the insulating sleeve, the lead 4.1 is provided with an offset K1 and the lead 4.2 is provided with an offset K2. Said offsets ensure that the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 will have a mutual spacing a1 when exiting the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the electronic components, with the following applying: a2<a1.

The fact that owing to said offsets the spacing d2 of the leads 4.1 and 4.2 from the outer edge of the insulating sleeve 5 is less than d1 is inconsequential as there is no risk of voltage punctures in this area, which is outside the area of the pump housing.

The electric leads or, as the case may be, flat connector lugs exiting from the insulating sleeve 5 with the spacing a1 can be plugged into a mating connector of the electronic component housing whose mating connector contacts likewise have the spacing a1.

The ultimate effect of the described offset in the electric leads is that said leads can be ducted close together in the area of the pump housing, as a result of which the hole through the pump housing can be kept small, and that the leads can nevertheless be contacted with an existing mating connector whose mating connector contacts have a mutual spacing greater than that with which the leads are ducted in the area of the pump housing.

As can further be seen from FIG. 3, the outside diameter of the insulating sleeve 5 remains constant despite the offset in the leads so that insertion of the electric connecting device through the hole in the pump housing is not adversely affected.

FIG. 4 is a sketch illustrating an advantageous development of the invention. According to said development the electric leads 4.1 and 4. 2 contain a step S in the area of the insulating sleeve 5 and also in the area of the pump housing 2. The width of the electric leads is reduced by said step S from b1 to b2. This measure makes it possible to contact the cited leads with a mating connector which is on the side of the motor housing and whose mating connector contacts have a width b2.

This change in the width of the electric leads can be effected independently of an offset in the leads. Said change in the width of the electric leads also requires adherence to the minimum spacing from the edge of the hole in the pump housing necessary to avoid voltage punctures.

FIG. 5 is a sketch illustrating a second embodiment of the invention. According to said embodiment an electric connecting device having the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 embodied in the form of flat connector lugs is ducted through a hole in the pump housing 2. Said electric leads run inside an insulating sleeve 5. Both the end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the motor housing and the end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the electronic components project beyond the respective end face of the pump housing 2. Inside the area of the pump housing the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 have a mutual spacing a2. Inside the area of the pump housing the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 furthermore have a constant minimum spacing d1 from the edge of the hole of the pump housing. Said minimum spacing is necessary to prevent the occurrence of voltage punctures during operation. Outside the area of the pump housing, but still inside the area of the insulating sleeve 5, the lead 4.1 is provided with offsets K1 and K3 and the lead 4.2 is provided with offsets K2 and K4. Said offsets ensure that the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 will have a mutual spacing a1 when exiting the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the electronic components, with the following applying: a2<a1.

The fact that owing to said offsets the spacing d2 of the leads 4.1 and 4.2 from the outer edge of the insulating sleeve 5 is less than d1 is inconsequential as there is no risk of voltage punctures in this area, which is outside the area of the pump housing.

The electric leads or, as the case may be, flat connector lugs exiting from the insulating sleeve 5 with the spacing a1 can be inserted into a respective mating connector of the electronic component housing or, as the case may be, motor housing whose mating connector contacts likewise have the spacing a1.

The effect of the described offsets in the electric leads is that said leads can be ducted close together in the area of the pump housing, as a result of which the hole through the pump housing can be kept small, and that the leads can nevertheless be contacted on both sides with a respectively existing mating connector whose mating connector contacts have a mutual spacing greater than that with which the leads are ducted in the area of the pump housing.

As can further be seen from FIG. 5, the outside diameter of the insulating sleeve 5 remains constant despite the offsets in the leads so that insertion of the electric connecting device through the hole in the pump housing is not adversely affected.

FIG. 6 is a sketch illustrating a third embodiment of the invention. In this embodiment, as already explained above in connection with FIG. 2, the electric connecting device consisting of the insulating sleeve 5 and the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 forms a structural unit together with the motor housing 1. It can further be seen from FIG. 6 that the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 are provided in the vicinity of the end of the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the electronic components with an offset K1 or, as the case may be, K2. The mutual spacing of the electric leads is expanded from a2 to a1 by said offset. The electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 exit the insulating sleeve 5 with this expanded spacing a1 and can be inserted into a mating connector of the electronic component housing whose mating connector contacts likewise have the mutual spacing al.

FIG. 7 is a sketch illustrating a fourth embodiment of the invention. According to said embodiment the electric connecting device consisting of the insulating sleeve 5 and the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 forms a structural unit together with the electronic component housing 3. It can further be seen from FIG. 7 that inside the insulating sleeve 5 the electric leads each have an offset K3 or, as the case may be, K4. The mutual spacing of the electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 is increased from a2 to a1 by said offset. The electric leads 4.1 and 4.2 exit the insulating sleeve 5 on the side of the motor housing having said increased spacing a1 and can be connected to a mating connector which is secured to the motor housing and whose mating connector contacts likewise have the mutual spacing a1. 

1. A motor pump assembly comprising: a motor housing, a pump housing arranged behind the motor housing an electronic component housing arranged behind the pump housing, and at least two mutually electrically insulated electric leads surrounded by an insulating sleeve ducted from the motor housing through the pump housing to the electronic component housing, wherein the electric leads are each provided inside the insulating sleeve with an offset.
 2. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electric leads are flat connector lugs.
 3. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the insulating sleeve projects beyond the pump housing in an axial direction and the offset is located in an area of the insulating sleeve projecting in the axial direction beyond the pump housing.
 4. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the insulating sleeve projects beyond the pump housing in an axial direction on both sides and an offset is located in both areas of the insulating sleeve projecting in the axial direction beyond the pump housing.
 5. The motor pump assembly according to claim 3, wherein mutual spacing of the electric leads is smaller in an area of the pump housing than the mutual spacing of the electric leads outside the pump housing after an offset has been provided.
 6. The motor pump assembly according to claim 4, wherein mutual spacing of the electric leads is smaller in an area of the pump housing than the mutual spacing of the electric leads outside the pump housing after an offset has been provided.
 7. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electric leads inside the insulating sleeve are each provided with a step so that a width of the electric leads is different at two axial ends of the insulating sleeve.
 8. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, form a single-piece component together with the motor housing.
 9. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein the electric leads are arranged inserted into a mating connector provided on the motor housing.
 10. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein electric leads, including the insulating sleeve, form a single-piece component together with the electronic component housing.
 11. The motor pump assembly according to claim 1, wherein electric leads are arranged plugged into a mating connector provided on the electronic component housing.
 12. An electric connecting device having at least two mutually electrically insulated electric leads surrounded by an insulating sleeve, which leads are each provided inside the insulating sleeve with an offset.
 13. The electric connecting device according to claim 12, wherein the electric leads are flat connector lugs.
 14. The electric connecting device according to claim 12, wherein the electric leads are arranged inside the insulating sleeve with a step so that a width of the electric leads is different at two axial ends of the insulating sleeve.
 15. The electric connecting device according to claim 12, wherein the electric leads project beyond the insulating sleeve in an axial direction. 